Asclepias curassavica
“Bloodflower”/ “Mexican Milkweed”

A MUST for any habitat garden - growing to 4’ tall and wide, it’s colorful, beautiful and EASY - plus a source of nectar for beneficial insects and a critical larval food source for our beloved Monarchs. Evergreen and shrubby. Bold red-orange and yellow flowers bloom throughout the year! Reseeds for freebies! Aphids are attracted to this plant, but don’t seem to harm its health and can be blasted off with water. Poor soil is okay with good drainage!

USE OF BT UPDATE:
We are pleased to announce that the California Department of Agriculture has recently lifted its requirement that our nursery use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), as a naturally occurring biological insecticide (also commonly used on organically grown fruits and vegetables),  as control against LBAM (Light Brown Apple Moth) within the State of California.  As a result we are no longer using BT in our nursery.  Bt was known to be toxic to caterpillars, particularly the Monarch butterfly caterpillar, which is why we had always advised our customers to wait a growing season (or approximately one year) before introducing Monarch caterpillars to any Asclepia (Milkweed) plants  to ensure the plants are large enough to provide sufficient food and the BT has had time to wear off. 

**To protect Monarchs from infectious parasites, cut back your Asclepias currasavica in late Fall. This will also promote a healthier plant next season.

Claire Woods
Propagator